WATCH LIVE: Lubbock High vs. San Angelo Lake View, 4 p.m. on KCBD.com and Streaming App

The Westerners fell 21-10 to Coronado last week, but head coach Juan Rodriguez says the losses aren't telling the full story. He points to a defense playing better than it has in years, even as the offense works to catch up. San Angelo Lake View comes in riding momentum, including a 41-19 win to open its season.

For Westerners fans watching from the stands or streaming the broadcast, this game is about more than the scoreboard. Rodriguez says his players are showing improvements on both sides of the ball despite the winless record. A win against an unbeaten Lake View squad would be the statement game Lubbock High needs to shift the tone of its season.

Regular season football matters in a town where Friday nights and Saturday afternoons still pull people out of their houses and into the stands. A Westerners win here doesn't just end the losing streak. It gives a young team something to build on heading into district play, according to Rodriguez, who calls this squad's defense possibly the best the program has fielded in years.